Hopper machine for stacking slide fastener elements



May 9', 1999. M. NESSUN@ ET AL 2,157,799

. HPPR MACHINE FOR STACKING SLIDE FASTENER ELEMENTS Filed Aug.. 20, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 9, 1939.

HOPPER MACHINE FOR STACKING SLIDE FASTENER ELEMENTS Filed Aug., 20

. 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. y Max Klesslm Max JKiesslng /10 ATTORNEY May 9, 1939-y M. KlEssLlNG er AL 2,157,709

HOPPER MAC'HI-NE FOR STAGKING SLIDE FASTENERhELEMENTS Filed Aug. 2 0; 1935 s sheets-sheet :5

INVENTORS Max Kiesslinq Max dliesslinq 3818 '#rToRNEY E Patented May 9, 1939 HOPPER MACHINE FOB STACKING SLIDE FASTENER ELEMENTS Max Kiessling and Max J. Kiessling, Waterbury,

Conn.

Application August zo, 1935 serial No. auna 21- Claims.

This invention relates to hopper feeding machines, and more particularly to a machine designed to stack a plurality -of separable edge fasteners, commonly known as "zipper elements,

into a magazine which is to be subsequently applied to a machine for attaching the' stacked' elements one by one upon the edge of a tape.

One object of this invention is to provide a hopper machine of the above nature having a hopper box for receivingthe fastener. elements after they have been subjected to any desired tumbling or finishing operation, andV thereafter directing said elements into a mechanism for arranging them in two guideways with the heads of the elements positioned in the same direction before delivery to a pair of detachable magazines located on the ends of said guideways.

A further object is to provide a machine of the abovev nature which is characterized particularly by the absence of any rotating or moving parts, the elements being caused to gravitate downward- 1y along inclined rails and guideways by an electrical vibratory unit associated with said ma,- chine.

A further object is to provide a machine of the above nature having means for permitting chips, dirt and other foreign matter to be separated from the elements at several points along the path of said fastener elements, and also means for eliminating any improperly positioned elements.

A further object is to provide a machine ofthe above nature which will be simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install'and manipulate, compact, and very emcient and dura- 35 ble in use.

With these and other objects in view, there has been illustrated on the accompanying drawings one form in which the invention maybe conveniently embodied in practice.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 represents a front elevation of the ma.-

chine. y p

Fig. 2 is a perspective view on a greatly enlarged scale of one of the fastener elements adapted to be stacked by the machine.

Fig, 3 is a perspective view of one of the clamping units for joining the `lower end of one of the element holding raceways with the upper end of 50 the magazine supporting rail and holding the clined chute andtwo cooperating raceways connected at right-angles thereto.

Fig. 6 is fragmentary front view Iof one of the magazine-supporting rails and the associated magazine in position to be assembled therein.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through a portoin of the inclined chute, the ejected element pick-up trough, and the associated member for supporting said trough.

Fig. 8 is a tranverse sectional view through the inclined chute, taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 4.

Fig, 9 is a similar transverse sectional view of one of the raceways, taken along the line 9--9 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 10 is a similar transverse sectional view of one of the magazine supporting rails, taken along the line .l0-[I0 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through the delivery end of the inclined chute, the view being taken along the line il-il of,rv Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows.

lReferring now to the drawings in which like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral l0 indicates a longitudinal at base plate having attached upon its left-hand end a main support frame Il, as viewed 4in Fig. 1. The frame Il is adapted to support an offset angular rear bracket l2 at its upper end, and the latter in turn supports a tapered hopper box i3 in an inclined position as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, for receiving in bulk a quantity of fastener elements lil, one of which is shown enlarged and in perspective in Fig. 2.

'I'he element it is provided with a pair of diverging legs i5 including a slot i6 therebetween, and the crown end of said element is provided on one side with a pyramidal-shaped projection il, the opposite side of said body having an opposed corresponding socket as is usual in separable edge fasteners.

The bottom of the hopper i3 is provided with a relatively heavy plate it preferably made of metal and having an integral extension i9, 'extending forwardly beyond the front wall il) of the hopper i3. The lower edge of the front wall 2E is provided with a slot a adjoining the plate IB of sumcient size .to `permit the elements Ml to pass Afreely'tl'ierethrough. The size of the opening 20a is adapted to be regulated by a' slidable shutter plate 2i adjustably secured tothe front of the wall 20, as by a wing screw and bracket, as best shown in Fig. 4.

The forward extension l@ or the bottom plate I8 converges to a relatively narrow portion at its frontend and has attached thereto a pair of upstanding side walls 22 which direct the elements I4 sliding down the plate I9 into a relatively narrow neck at the outer end thereof, whence they drop upon an inclined chute 23 between a pair of opposed angular wing plates 24. The wing plates 24 are provided with sloping sides, which, as shown in Fig. 1, tend to cause a large percentage of the elements I4 to arrange themselves in such a manner that the legs thereof will drop into a central longitudinal slot 25 provided in the chute 23. 'I'he chute 23 consists of a pair of parallel rails 26 and 21 held in suitable spaced relation to slidably receive the elements I4 as will be more fully explained later.

The elements I4 which happed to arrange I themselves in the slot 25 will be supported upon the chute 23 by reason of their projecting heads I1 resting upon either the left rail 26 or the right rail 21 of said chute, as the case may be, and will be caused to gravitate down said inclined chute. 'I'he elements I4 that have their heads resting upon the right-hand rail 21, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 8, will drop by gravity through a vertical slot 28 in said rail (see Fig. 5), and the elements that have their heads oppositely arranged and resting on the lett-hand rail 26 will drop through a similar slot 29 formed in said rail 26 farther down the chute.

As the elements I4 drop through their respec-- tive slots 28 and 29, they are adapted to straddle a pair of relatively 'thin guide rails 30 and 3I which extend across the width of the slot 25, and said guide rails 3D and 3I are adapted to direct the elements laterally to the right as shown in Fig. 1, down through a pair of clearance apertures 32 and 33 provided in the right rail 21 oi the chute 23. The elements I4 are then directed into a pair of grooves 34 and 35 corresponding to the general shape of the elements I4 provided in a pair of longitudinal raceways 36 and 31, extending at right-angles and in an inclined position to the chute 23. As shown in Figs. 4 and 9, each raceway 36 (31) consists of a pair of complementary sections having the narrow guide lrail 30 (3|) interposed therebetween with a portion of said rail projecting up into the grooves 34 (35)'.

'I'he upper end' of the grooves 34 and 35 are provided with restricted longitudinal openings 34a and 35a, which permit the operator to view from above the number of elements I4 which are present in the raceways 36 and 31, and also to permit a tool to be inserted therethrough to force the elements along the raceways whenever desired. The raceways 36 and 31 are rigidly secured at their upper receiving ends to the adjacent face of the right-hand rail 21 of the chute 23 by means of a metal block 38 which in turn is secured to said rail 21 by means of a pair of countersunk screws 39 shown in Fig. 11.

The raceways 36 and 31 serve to conduct the elements I4 to a pair of detachable magazines 40 having element receiving grooves 4I, as most clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 10. The magazines are adapted to be held upon a pair of supporting rails 42 and 43 with their grooves 4I downwardly. The supporting rails 42 and 43 are positioned in direct alinement with the raceways 36 and 31, respectively, and said rails are locked to said race- Ways by means of a pair of intermediate locking units 44 and 45, respectively. As shown in Fig.

1, the raceways 36 and 31 and the magazine' supporting rails 42 and 42 are adapted to be supported in elevated yinclined position by means of a pair of auxiliary standards 46 and 41 attached to the top surface of the base plate I0.

By thus supporting the entire mechanism upon a single base plate, the entire machine may be conveniently moved about to any desired location without the necessity of dismantling the machine.

Vibratory unit In order to insure that the elements I4 will gravitate down the inclined chute 23 and the associated raceways 36 and 31, provision is made of an electromagnetic vibratory unit 48 supported by means of a lateral boss 49 formed integral with the side iiange IIa of the main support frame II. The vibratory unit 48 is provided with an upwardly extending vertical vibrating resilient plate 50, carrying at its upper end a horizontal plunger rod 5I (see Fig. 4). 'Ihe rod 5I is preferably made of hexagonal stock, and is provided with a threaded shank 52 adjustably engaging the upper end of the vibrating plate 50 and rigidly and adjustably locked thereto by means of a pair of opposed nuts 53. The forward end of the plunger rod 5I or lefthand end, as viewed in Fig. 4, is provided with a hollow cylindrical portion 54 forming a socket for receiving a sound dampening head 55 preferably made of hard fibrous composition. 'I'he head 55 is adapted to rapidly strike against the adjacent face of the raceway 36 overcoming the influence of a coil spring 56 interposed therebetween and seated in a suitable socket in said composition head 55.

By employing the above described plunger rod mounted on the upper end of the resilient vibrating plate 50, it has been found in practice that the fastener elements will progress down the inclined chute 23 and guideways 36 and 31 at a much greater speed than was possible with the usual type of directly actuated vibrating devices which jostled the elements too severely.

The vibratory unit 48 is controlled by means of an electric switch 51 located on the back wall of the main support frame II and supplied ,with current through a pair of connecting conductors .58. A two-wire cable 59 leads from the switch 51 to any suitable electric power source.

A more detailed description of the parts of the invention will now be given. As previously described, the chute 23 consits of two rails 26 and 21 held in spaced relation. The left-hand rail 26 is provided with a relatively wide beveled upper edge 60, leaving a relatively narrow ridge 6I extending along the top surface thereof, upon which the lateral projections or heads I1 of the fastener elements which face to the left are adapted to rest as the elements slide down the chute 23. The elements which have their projections facing to the right will rest upon the rail 21. It will be understood that a certain percentage of the elements dropping from the end of the hopper extension I9 between the wing plates 24 will not be properly oriented to be caught by the slot 25, and such elements will be guided oif both sides of the chute 23 by reason of a pair of saddle-like grooves 62 formed in the opposite side walls of the rails 26 and 21, adjacent the lower end of the wing plates 24 (see Fig. These elements passing over the grooves 62 will drop into a V-shaped trough 63 located thereunderneath. E

To assist in directing the misarranged elements into the saddle-like grooves 62, provision is made of a metal strip 64 afxed, as by screws 65, to the top surface of the right rail 21. As best shown in Figs. 5 and 8, the metal strip 64 is preferably made slightly narrower than the width ofthe right rail 21, thus leaving'an exposed section 81 of said rail, against which the elements I4 having right-facing projections are adapted to slide. The trough 83 will also catch any of the elements I4 which happen to accidentally slide beyond the vertical drop slots 28 and 29, and drop olf the end of the chute 23. A funnel-shaped spout 88 is preferably disposed at the lower end of the trough 63 to direct the elements I4 into a suitable container 69 supported on a suitable bracket 18vattached to the main support frame I I.

In order to hold the two bars 26 and 21 of the chute 23 in adjustable spaced position so as to accommodate elements of different thicknesses, provision is made of a series of sets of interiitted male and female screws 1| and 12 having heads accessible at the left side of the chute 23, as viewed in Fig. 1. One set of the screws 1| and 12 are shown on an enlarged scale in Fig. 8. As'

here shown, the inner'or male screw 1I is pro vided with an elongated shank 13 adapted to pass axially through the center of the larger associated female screw 12, and the threaded end of said male screw is engaged in atapped hole rail 26.

The inner end 0f the female screw 12 is provided with a tubular integral reduced end 18 tted intoa countersunk socket 19 in the rail 21. The outer end of theenlarged female screw 12 adjacent the head ofthe male screw 1| is formed witha squared section 88 which may be engaged by a suitable wrench for turning the same. To adjust the bars laterally with respect to each other to` accommodate Vthe elements i8 of various thicknesses, the male screw 1| is rst unscrewed a slight distance. tofrelease the female screw 12, and the latter screw is rthen screwed inwarmy; i. e. t0 the right, or screwed outwardly; i. e. to the left, to respectively move the bars 28 and 21 farther apart or closer together. the bars 28 and `21 are properly adjusted the male screw 1| is screwed down tightly against the female screw'21 to hold the latter in adjusted locked position. Y

As shown in Figs. 'l and 8, a considerable por- =tion of the adjacent inner faces of the spaced rails 28 and 21 are cut away,v as shown at '8| and 82. This is for the purpose of permitting any sawdust, chips, dirt or improperly formed elements to more easily drop through the slot 25 and pass into the trough 63. Obviously, most of the chips, etc., that are carried along with the elements passing out of the hopper will drop through the upper part of the slot 25 at the upper rear end of the chute 23 into the adjacent end of the trough 63, and will be allowed to pass through a drain aperture 83 provided in the base of the trough 83 (see Fig. '1).y An'angular baille lug 88 is positioned in the vtrough 88 adjacent the lower edge of the aperture 83 to assist in directing the chips through said aperture. Any

foreign matter passing through the drain aperture 83 will slide down through an, inclined slot 85 machined in the upper face of the ois'et support bracket I2, whence it will be directed into After' wall lla of the support frame At the lower end of the chute 23 at 4the junction of the raceways 38 and 31, provision is also made of cut-out grooves 81 and 88, as shown in Fig. 11, which serve as an additional outlet for any chips or other particles that may be carried to this point. Provision is also made of a plurality of substantially vertical'slots 89 formed in the raceways 38 and 31,I and conjoining with the grooves 35 and 38 to allow the escape of any foregoing matter or misarranged elements which may arrive at those points.

In order to retain the magazines 48 upon the supporting rails 42 and 43 coincident with the stacking operation; the forward ends of said magazines are held by means of the locking units 44 and 45 previously mentioned. The rear ends of the magazines 48 in vturn are adapted to be tensioned' and confined between the legs of a pair of U-shaped. clips 98 and 9|, rigidly securedl to the extreme lower right ends of the supporting rails 42 and 43. The tensioning means for each of the clips 98 and 9| comprises a plunger 92 (Fig. 6), engaging in a; countersunk socket 93 provided in the base of said clips 98, 9|, said plungers 92 having reduced shanks 94 extending through the ends of said clips and provided with exterior locking pins 95. The plungers 92 are adapted to be depressed against a small receptacle mi attached to the 'flanged helical compression Isprings 96 located in the base of the sockets 93.

The locking units 48 and 45 are of identical construction except that the operating handles thereof are both located on the outside thereof for -convenience in manipulating the same.

The locking unit 85, as shown in detail in Fig. 3, comprises a pair of opposed side plates 91 and 98, herein shown as rigidly secured to the sides of the forward raceway 31 and the alined magazine support rail 83 by means of bolts 99. The upper edges of the forward or left end of the s'ide plates 91 and 98 are made flush with the upper edge of 4the raceway 31, and the rear ends of said plates extend a substantial distance above the supporting rail 83 to provide a suitable slot to embrace the end of one of the magazines 48.

To the forward face of the front plate 98v is pivotally attached a hand lever |88 by means' latter in position upon the supporting rail 43..'

Extending forwardly from the lever |88 in axial alinement with the rod |83 is a pin |84 for receiving one end of a helical tensionspring |85, while its opposite end is anchored to a 'stationary pin |86, extending forwardly .from the plate 98. When the -lever |88 is swung in a counterclockwise direction to release the` magazine 48,

as shown `in Fig. 6, said lever |88 is supported in a substantially horizontal position by meansv of a vertical abutment pin |81 extending upwardly from the front plate 98 and lying in the path of thelocking rod |83.

As best shown in Fig. 10, the element receiving groove 8| of the magazine 48 conforms to the general, shapeof the elements i8 and is similar in shape to the slots 38 and 35 in the raceways 36 and 31. As the elements are directed down the raceways 38 or 31, they are transferred from therails (or 3|) to a pair of alined longitudinal vertical raised flanges |09 and I I0 formed integral with the top surface of the magazine supporting rails 42 and 43, and said elements are adapted to be stored in the longitudinal groove 4| in the magazine 40.

In order to retain or damp up" the elements I4 at the end of the raceways 36 or 31 when the magazines 40 are not in receiving position, as shown in Fig. 6,'provision is made of a vertical plunger member reciprocally engaged in a socket I2 in the adjacent end of the rail 42. 'Ihe plunger is adapted to be pressed upwardly at all times by means of a compression spring ||3 retained within said socket 2 by means of a bottom plug screw I|4. While it is not shown in the drawing, the upper end of the plunger head is bifurcated and adapted to straddle the ange I9 to produce a more effective dam for the elements in the adjacent raceways 36 or 31.

kFor the purpose of facilitating the gripping of the magazines 40 to remove the same from the rails 42 or 43 after the magazines have been stacked with the elements I4, a pair of clearance groves ||5 are formed on the opposite side of each rail 42 or 43 adjacent the locking units 44 or 45.

In transporting the loaded magazines'40 from the hopper machine to the fastener machine, the elements I4 are prevented from slipping out of the magazines 40 by means of a stop pin ||6 slidable in suitable grooves provided in the adjacent faces of a pair of complementary half sections ||1 and ||8 comprising the magazine 40, a portion of the section ||1 in Fig. 6 being removed to show the construction. The stop pin ||6 normally projects into the groove 4| of the magazine 40 at the extreme lower end thereof, as an abutment for the elements I4.

The pin I I6 is rigidly attached to a pivoted lever I I9 located in a suitable slot |20 provided in thel back of said magazine 40 and fulcrumed therein by means of a transverse pin |2I. The opposite end of the lever is slightly bent outwardly and cooperates with a compression spring |22 seated in a socket |23 formed in said magazine 40. When the magazine is set up in a vertical position in the fastener machine, the bent end of the lever IIS is adapted to be pressed -inwardly by some part of said machine against the influence of the spring |22, and consequently withdrawing the pin I I6 from the groove 4| to release the elements held therein.

Operation In, the operation of the hopper machine, a quantity of elements I4 will first be placed in the hopper I3 in bulk, and the shutter 2| adjusted to permit the desired amount of elements I4 to escape therefromfin accordance with the vibratory effect of theffmachine. The vibratory unit 48 may then be energized by means of the switch 51 and will cause the elements I4 to gravitate down the inclined chute 23 and enter their respective raceways 36 and 31 in a manner already explained. In case the magazines 40 are not located in position upon the supporting rails 42 and 43, the elements will stack up in the raceways 36 and 31 held in check by the plungers III.

When it is desired to charge the magazine 40 with elements, the hand lever |00 of the locking unit 44 or 45 will be moved'in a counter-clockwise direction to the position as shown in Fig. v6. 'I'he plunger head 92 rearwardly to its fullest extent, and the upper end of the magazine will then be dropped between the side plates 91 and 98 of the locking unit 45. Finally, the lever |00 may be swung back to its operating position to cause the locking rod |03 to engage across the back of the magazine 40 for holding it in secure position. It will be noted from Fig. 10 that the flange |00 of the rails 43 is adapted to project into the groove 4| of the magazine 40 to facilitate the guidance of the elements into said magazine, the same being true with the rail 42 and flange I0. When the magazines 40 are in position on the rails 42 and 43, they automatically operate to depress the locking plunger member to release the dammed-up elements in the raceways 36 or 31, and permit them to pass unobstructed into the receiving groove 4|.

Instead of depending entirely upon the vibratory effects of the machine to gravitate the elements I4 from the raceways 36 vor 31 into their respective magazines 40, this operation may be expedited by inserting a suitable pointed tool through the slots 34a or 35a, to manually urge the stacked elements down the inclined raceways into the magazine in a. much shorter period of time.

While there has been disclosed in this specification one form in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that this form is shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention isnot to be limited to the specific disclosure but may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new, and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent, is:

1. In an apparatus for stacking a plurality of slide fastener elements, a hopper having an inclined base, an inclined chute for receiving elements in succession from said hopper and arranging them in edge-to-edge alinement, an inclined raceway at the lower end of said chute and adapted to receive the elements therefrom in face-to-face alinement, a frame for supporting said hopper, chute, and raceway as a unitary structure, an electric vibratory unit attached to said frame, -a vibrating plate extending upwardly from said vibratory unit and having a plunger rod at its upper end for rapidly striking against a portion of said apparatus, whereby the elements will be caused to gravitate down the inclined slopes of the several parts to a predetermined position.

2. In an apparatus for stacking a plurality of slide fastener elements having lateral heads, a. hopper, an inclined chute for receiving elements one by one from said hopper in edge-to-edge relationship, said chute comprising a pair of parallel rails, means at the upper end of said chute for directing the bodies of the elements into the space between said rails with the heads of said elements engaging the top surfaces of said rails, a track member projecting into said space at right-angles to said chute, one of said rails having a drop groove for receiving the heads of said elements to permit them to drop down and straddle said track member, and an inclined raceway associated with the lower part of said track member for directing the elements away from said chute in stacked face-to-,face relationship.

3. In an apparatus for stacking a plurality of magazine removably supported in axial aline' slide fastener elements having lateral heads, a hopper, an inclined 4chute for receiving elements one by one from said hopper in edg-to-edge relationship, said chute comprising a pair of parallel rails, means at the upper end of said chute for directing the bodies of the elements into the space between said rails with the heads of said elements engaging the top surfaces of said rails, a track'member projectinginto said space at right-angles to'said chute, one of said rails having a drop groove for receivingthe heads of said elements to permit them to drop down and straddle said track member, an inclined raceway associated with the lower part of said track member for directing the elements away from said chute in stacked face-to-face relationship, a

ment with said raceway, and locking means normally holding said elements stacked in said raceway but releasable by the insertion of said magazinevto permit the elements to pass from said raceway into said magazine.

4. In an apparatus for stacking a plurality of slide fastener elements having lateral heads, a

hopper, an inclined chute for receiving elementsV one by one from said hopper in edge-to-edge relationship, said chute comprising a pair of parallel rails, means at the upper end of said chute for directing the bodies of the elements into the space betweensaid rails with the heads of said elements engaging the top surfaces of said rails, a track member projecting into said space at right-angles to said chute,- oneof said rails having a drop groove for receiving the heads of said elements to permit them to drop down and straddle said track member, and an inclined raceway associated with the lower part of said track member for directing the elements away from said chute in stacked face-to-face relationship, said chute having a cut-out bottom portion to cause any foreign matter or improperly formed `elements to drop out by gravity.

5. In an apparatus for stacking a plurality of slide fastener elements having lateral heads, a hopper, an inclined c hute for receiving elements one by one from said hopper in edge-to-edge relationship, said chute comprising a pair of parallel rails, means at the upper end of said chute for directingthe' bodies of the elements into the space between said rails with the heads of said 'elements engaging the top surfaces of said rails.

a track member projecting into said space at right-angles to said chute, one of said rails having a drop groove for receiving the heads of said elements to permit them to drop down and straddle said track member, and an inclined raceway associated with the lower part of said track member for directing the elements away from said chute in stacked face-to-face relationship,I

said raceway having an open slot to cause any foreign materials or improperly formed elements to drop out by gravity. i

6. In an apparatus for stacking a plurality of slidev fastener elements, a hopper, an inclined chute for receiving said elements from said hopperand arranging them in edge-to-edge aline-v `ments with their legs straddling the sides of Asaid said rst rail.

S. In an apparatus for stacking a plurality of slide fastener elements, a chute for receiving said elements including a pair of parallel flat rails,

Vmeans for adjusting the distance between said rails including a headed screw threadedly engaged in one of said rails, a tubular screw surrounding said headed screw and threadedly engaged in the other rail, one end of said tubular screw engaging the head of the other screw, and the opposite end of said tubular screw engaging said first rail, and means on each of said screws for permitting adjustment thereof.

9. In an apparatus for stacking a plurality of slide fastener elements, an inclined guide member forreceivi'ng said elements, means for vibratv ing' said guide member to facilitatethe gravitation of said elements downwardly in said guide member comprising a flexible barl fixed at one end and carrying a spring-pressed plunger at its other' end for vibratory engagement with said guide member, and. means for intermittently applying force to said bar to cause said plunger to strike said guide member.

10. In an apparatus for stacking a plurality of slide fastener elements. an inclined guide member for receiving said elements, means for vibrating said guide member to facilitate theV gravitation of said elements downwardly in said guide member comprising a flexible bar fixed at one end and carrying a spring-pressed plunger at its other end for .vibratory engagement with said guide member, and means for intermittently Y applying force to said bar to cause said plunger to strike said guide'member, said plunger having a sound-deadening cushion plug at its striking end.

11. In an apparatus for stacking a plurality of laterally headed slide' fastener elements, a hopper, an inclined chute for successively receiving said elements from said hopper, said chute comprising a Vpair of parallel relatively adjustable top side rails for receiving said elements in edgeto-edge alinement and with the heads of said elements resting on said rails and some facing each direction, a pair of detachable elongated .grooved magazines, a pair of inclined raceways in alinement with said magazines for guiding said elements in face-to-'face relationship from said chute to -said magazines andwith the elein one direction and the elements in the other raceway and magazine all facing in the opposite direction, and means for causing the delivery of elements to one of said raceways with 'the heads facing in one direction and to the other raceway with the heads facing in the opposite direction.

l2. In an apparatus for stacking a plurality of laterally headed slide fastener elements, a hopper, an inclined chute for successively receiving `said elements from said hopper, said chute comprising a pair of parallel top side rails for receiving said elements in edge-to-edge alinement and lments in one raceway and magazine all facing -zines and with the elements in one raceway and magazine all facing in one direction and the elements in the other raceway and magazine all facing in the opposite direction, means to detachably clamp said magazines to the ends of said raceways, and means for causing the delivery of elements to one of said raceways with the heads facing in one direction and tothe other raceway with the heads facing in the opposite direction.

13. In an apparatus for stacking a plurality of 'slide fastener elements, an elongated grooved magazine for receiving said elements, an inclined elongated raceway for guiding said elements to said magazine,v a rail member secured to said raceway and extending beyond the end thereof, said magazine being supported by and interfitted with said rail, and means to detachably clamp said magazine to said raceway and rail in l longitudinal alinement with said raceway.

14. In an Aapparatus for stacking a plurality of slide fastener elements, each having a head on one side thereof, a hopper containing a mass of such elements, an inclined chute for successively receiving said elements from said hopper in edgeto-edge relationship and with the heads of said elements extending in both directions, said chute having a pair of oppositely facing clearing slots for permitting said elements to drop therethrough, a pair of inclinedraceways for receiving said elements in1face-to-face relationship and with the elements in one raceway facing in the one direction and the elements in the other raceway facing in the opposite direction, and a pair of detachable grooved magazines in alinement with said raceways for receiving said elements.

15. In an apparatus for stacking a plurality of slide fastener elements, an inclined raceway for transferring said elements in face-to-face relationship from a. feed chute, a grooved magazine for receiving said elements from said raceway, means extending from said raceway to form a seat for said .magazine, a locking unit on the lower end of saidraceway comprising a pair of side plates, a lever pivoted to one of said side plates, said lever carrying a transverse rod for detachably engaging the t'op of the rear end of said magazine for holding it down on its seat.

16. In an apparatus for stacking a plurality of slide fastener elements, an inclined raceway for transferring said elements in face-to-face relationship from a feed chute, a grooved magazine for receiving said elements from said raceway, means' extending from said raceway to form a seat for said magazine, a locking unit on the lower end of said raceway comprising a pair of side plates, a lever pivoted to one of said side plates, said lever carrying a. transverse rod for detachably engaging the top of the rear end of said magazine for holding it down on its seat,

and a spring for holding saidlleve'r intoan outof-the-way position when it is not engaging said magazine.

1'7. In an apparatus for stacking a plurality of slide fastener elements, an inclined raceway for transferring said elements in face-to-face relationship from a feed chute, a grooved magazine for receiving said elements from said raceway, means extending from said raceway to form a seat for said magazine, a locking unit on the lower end of said raceway comprising a pair of side plates, a lever pivoted to one of said side plates, said lever carrying a, transverse rod for detachably engaging the top of the rear end of said magazine for holding it down on its seat,

'said raceway extension having a longitudinal top flange extending into the groove in said magazine to guide the elements received from said raceway.

18. In an apparatus for stacking a plurality of slide fastener elements, an inclined raceway for transferring said elements in face-to-face contact from a feed chute, a magazine having a groove on its llower face for receiving said elements'y a rail extending beyond said raceway for detachably supporting said magazine, said rail having an abutment clip secured to its outer end, and latching means on the end of said raceway for engaging the rear end of said magazine to hold it upon its seat between said raceway and said clip to permitothe elements to pass from said raceway into said magazine.

19. In an apparatus for stacking a plurality of slide fastener elements, an inclined raceway for transferring said elements in face-to-face contact from a feed chute, a magazine having a groove on its lower face for receiving said elements, a rail extending beyond said raceway for detachably supporting said magazine, said rail having an abutment clip secured to its outer end, and latching means on the end of said raceway for engaging the rear end of said magazine to hold it upon its seat between said raceway and said clip to permit the elements to pass from said raceway into said magazine, said clip having a spring-pressed plunger for frictionally engaging the end of said magazine.

20. In 'an apparatus for stacking a plurality of slide fastener elements, an inclined raceway for transferring'said elements in face-to-face con'- tact from a hopper and feed chute, a magazine having an elementv receiving groove on its bot-- slide fastener elements, an inclined raceway for transferring said elements in face-to-face contact from a. hopper and feed chute, a magazine having an element-receiving groove on its bottom face, a horizontal lever pivoted to the end of said magazine, a depending pin at the end of said lever, a lspring for pressing said lever to lcause pin to normally extend into said groove,

and means on said lever operated by.the insertion of said magazine into a fastener machine to engage said lever and cause said pin to move out of said groove and release said elements.

' MAX KIESSLING.

MAX J. KIESSLING. 

